AKON — OVERALL BEST TEACHER (1B)

A 40-YEAR-OLD tutor of the Kumasi Technical Institute, Mr Kingsley Akom, was declared the national overall best teacher for 2009 at the National Best Teacher Awards ceremony held in Koforidua yesterday.
For his prize, he took home a cheque for GH¢60,000 to put up a three-bedroom house at a place of his choice.
In addition, he was presented with a laptop and a modem for his personal use, as well as a computer for his school.
Mr Samuel Addai of the Suame Methodist Junior High School, also in the Ashanti Region, who was the first runner-up, drove home a double-cabin pick-up.
He also received a personal laptop and a modem, as well as a computer for his school, while Mr Peter Amponsah of the Akompanin D/A Primary School in the Brong Ahafo Region, who was adjudged the second runner-up, also drove home a saloon car, in addition to a laptop and a modem for his personal use and a computer for his school.
Eighty-one other teaching and non-teaching staff, some of them retired, were also honoured and presented with either GH¢100 cash or items such as gas cookers, refrigerators, ghetto blasters, laptops and television sets, while three foreign volunteers in teaching and community work from the United States of America and Japan were given plaques and citations in recognition of their work.
The heavily patronised event, which brought together teachers from all parts of the region, municipal and district chief executives and some Members of Parliament from the Eastern Region, was also graced by a number of dignitaries, including the Vice-President, Mr John Mahama, and the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo.
A number of chiefs, including the Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre (Prof) Oti Boateng, who chaired the function, and the Konor of Manya Krobo, Nene Sakite II, gave a traditional touch to the event, which was on the theme, “Recovery Begins with Teachers”.
An elated Kingsley Akom expressed his appreciation to the government for initiating the awards scheme which, according to him, would boost the morale of teachers and help improve the standard of education in the country.
In his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, traced the history of the awards scheme, which he said had been initiated by the National Democratic Congress under the presidency of former President Jerry John Rawlings to motivate teachers.
Daasebre Oti Boateng, for his part, called on parents to support their children’s education and appealed to the government to do its best to solve the challenges in the educational sector.